Description of the tomato variety Sergeant Pepper
The Sergeant Pepper pink tomato is a hybrid of American origin, bred by breeder James Hines in 2010. Belongs to the indeterminate category, capable of reaching 2 m. It has a strong and thick semi-standard stem, is compact and has low branching. It is mainly recommended for cultivation in a greenhouse, but it also develops quite well in open ground. The variety can be grown in the garden in the middle zone and in the southern regions; in the Urals and Siberia, bushes are planted only in greenhouses.
The shoots of the Sergeant Pepper tomato are flexible, but brittle, and light green in color. The leaf blades are darker, rougher, curved at the edges. They are located quite sparsely on the stem.
The hybrid variety blooms with dark buds. Does not require pollination and forms up to 98% of the ovary independently. The first brush appears after the fourth sheet, the subsequent ones go through two plates. Each fruiting shoot produces 4-6 tomatoes.
The variety has a mid-early ripening period. The first tomatoes reach a state of technical maturity 120 days after the formation of seedlings. Fruiting is extended over time and occurs in waves. You can pick tomatoes from the shoots ahead of time; the variety ripens well in storage.
Description of fruits
The Sergeant Pepper tomato variety produces heart-shaped fruits that are round at the top and tapering at the bottom. At the beginning of their formation, the tomatoes are light green; as they ripen, they gradually gain color. The top color of the fruit is dark, black-violet after ripening. From about the middle, the shade becomes deep burgundy or pink, depending on the specific variety.
The Sergeant Pepper tomato has thin and smooth shiny skin. The flesh when cut is rich burgundy, juicy, with high density. Tomato seeds have quite a few. Tomatoes emit a pleasant aroma, have a sweet taste, and acquire their best qualities when grown in the sun. The weight of individual tomatoes reaches 150-300 g.
Attention! When ripe, the fruits usually do not crack, but can be damaged if transported carelessly.
The tomato is also known as Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts
Description and characteristics of the variety
This tomato is also known as Sgt Pepper s tomato. It has an indeterminate type of bushes that reach 2 meters. The leaves are ordinary. The fruits ripen in medium terms; they grow in clusters of 6-8 pieces. They are heart-shaped, bright red with dark purple “shoulders.” Inside the flesh is red-crimson. The weight of tomatoes is 150-200 g, sometimes individual specimens reach 300 g. The taste is very sweet with a caramel tint.
The fruits of the variety contain anthocyanin, which has a beneficial effect on vision, fights glaucoma, is an antioxidant and helps in the prevention of diseases.
Characteristics of tomato Sergeant Pepper
The Sergeant Pepper tomato is valued for its beautiful and tasty fruits. But before planting a variety on a summer cottage, you need to evaluate its yield and hardiness indicators.
Sergeant Pepper tomato yield and fruiting
When planted as seedlings in mid-spring, Sergeant Pepper matures around early August and continues to bear fruit in waves until September. The variety's yield indicators are quite good - up to 4 kg per bush and up to 13 kg per 1 m2.
Fruiting volumes strongly depend on tomato growing conditions. The variety develops best in well-lit areas, with moderate moisture and proper formation. Yields are negatively affected by thickening of bushes, drought and swampy soil, low temperatures and lack of sun. In a greenhouse, Sergeant Pepper usually ripens a couple of weeks earlier than in open ground.
Area of application of fruits
The Sergeant Pepper tomato is used in the preparation of salads and vegetable slices. The taste of hybrid fruits is very pleasant, with caramel notes, without sourness. Tomatoes are also suitable for processing into juice, ketchup or adjika. The variety is usually not used in whole-fruit canning. The tomatoes are too large and prone to cracking.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The Sergeant Pepper tomato has a fairly high immunity and rarely suffers from late blight, fusarium and other fungi. However, bushes can be affected by cladosporiosis and tobacco mosaic. Diseases develop especially often when crops are grown in a greenhouse at elevated temperatures and high humidity. The Colorado potato beetle and aphid are dangerous pests for tomatoes.
When growing a variety, it is necessary to pay attention to preventive spraying. It is recommended to treat the bushes with Fitosporin or preparations containing copper up to three times during the season. To protect against insects, sticky traps can be installed near tomatoes.
The immunity of the Sergeant Pepper variety is affected by growing conditions. With chronic waterlogging, lack of fresh air and sunlight, tomato bushes get sick more often.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The main features and basic positive differences of Sergeant Pepper are:
- delightfully unique colors, amazing fruit exterior;
- delicate caramel sweetness and tart aroma of fruits;
- immunity to diseases and hostile bio-forms;
The disadvantages of a hybrid include:
- low ripening on the bush;
- difficulty of acquisition (private collections only, preferably different seed suppliers);
- poor shelf life, poor transportability.
Features of cultivation
Growing the Sergeant Pepper tomato is carried out according to the standard algorithm. First, the variety is sown as seedlings, and with the onset of final warmth, it is transferred to a greenhouse on the site or into open ground.
Planting seedlings
Sergeant Pepper tomato seedlings are sown at the end of March or early April. For seeds, prepare shallow, wide containers with holes in the bottom, after which they are scalded with boiling water for disinfection. The substrate for the culture is made from peat, humus and turf soil with the addition of sand for greater looseness. The soil also needs to be disinfected with boiling water, a solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin.
Landing is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- The prepared substrate is poured into a container and moistened abundantly.
- Small grooves 1.5-2 cm deep are made on the surface of the soil.
- Seeds are disinfected in Fitosporin solution.
- Place the material in the ground and sprinkle the rest of the substrate on top.
- Spray from a spray bottle.
After this, you need to stretch the film over the container and put the box in a shaded place with a temperature of 22-24 ° C. When green sprouts form, you will need to remove the cover and move the container to a light windowsill. During the growing process, seedlings are moistened from time to time.
Attention! After the formation of 2-3 leaves, the Sergeant Pepper tomato is picked into separate cups.
The first shoots of Sergeant Pepper appear 5-7 days after sowing
Transplanting into a greenhouse or in the ground
You can transfer the seedlings to the beds or to the greenhouse in mid-May. The selected area is carefully dug up and the soil is fertilized with humus or rotted manure, and then planting holes are made up to 40 cm deep.
The sprouts are transferred to the soil while preserving the earthen clod. There are 3-4 bushes per 1 m2.
Aftercare
Caring for Sergeant Pepper is very easy. You need to pay attention to several procedures:
- Watering. The soil under the bushes should always remain moist. During periods of drought, watering is organized for the crop once every 2-3 days.
- Feeding. It is recommended to fertilize tomatoes every two weeks. They use complex mineral compositions containing phosphorus and potassium, as well as organic matter.
- Mulching. To make the soil at the roots of the tomato dry out more slowly, after watering it is sprinkled with a layer of straw. This additionally protects the crop from weeds.
Sergeant Pepper's Westies are recommended in 2-3 stalks. Excess shoots are removed as they form, and the lower leaves of bushes and branches that have finished bearing fruit are also removed. During the ripening period of tomatoes, the shoots are tied to supports so that they do not break from the weight.
Attention! In the absence of formation, the yield of the bushes will decrease, and the fruits will be crushed.
Diseases and pests
This tomato variety has good immunity against diseases and is practically immune to insect pests. However, experienced gardeners still recommend carrying out preventive measures using fungicides to completely eliminate the possibility of infection. Also important is to inspect the bushes for pests. If they are detected, infusions of wormwood, garlic and tobacco or insecticidal preparations can be used.
Pest and disease control
Disease and pest control for Sergeant Pepper is primarily preventative. When growing bushes, they try to prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged; they regularly plant tomatoes to improve access to oxygen.
When symptoms of illness appear, spray with Fitosporin or copper sulfate. Pests are collected from the leaves by hand, and if there are too many insects, a soap solution or insecticidal agents are used.
When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, it is important to ventilate the greenhouse daily
Main advantages and disadvantages
In addition to its exotic appearance, Sergeant Pepper has many other advantages:
- long-term fruiting, right up to the onset of frost (this is true for both the greenhouse and the garden bed);
- ripens well without losing its unique appearance;
- excellent taste, most appreciated fresh and in sauces;
- the skin is thin, but no cracking is observed;
- withstands changeable weather conditions;
- responds favorably to fertilizers;
- high resistance to many tomato diseases.
However, there are a few fly in the ointment of Sergeant Pepper's virtues:
- seeds can only be obtained from private collections, and it is advisable to take them from several sources at once;
- keeping quality is weak;
- In shade, productivity decreases.
Advice. To achieve the most pronounced beauty of the fruit, grow the tomato in a place well lit by the sun. This is how the pigment will fully manifest itself.
Reviews
Ivan, 40 years old:
I have been growing tomatoes for more than 15 years and at the same time I like to experiment with varieties. Last season I tried to grow Sergeant Pepper, whom many recommended to me. Well, what can I say: the yield is average, regular care is required, but the taste of the fruit is simply delicious.
Tatyana, 32 years old:
I love growing unusual varieties of tomatoes. And recently I came across Sergeant Pepper's seedlings. To say that I am delighted with this variety is to say nothing. In addition to their unusual appearance, the fruits have a delicious taste and aroma, and they are also very suitable for preservation and processing.
Maria, 55 years old:
The Sergeant Pepper variety was bought and planted for me by my children, although I was initially against it because I don’t like to experiment. However, I liked the taste of tomatoes. They can also be used to make homemade ketchup and tomato.
